To Observe
by ZombieXoX
Summary: Soundwave's time and hollow thoughts during 'Deadlock' after the incident with the Groundbridges


**Hi all, this contains MAJOR spoilers of Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters Episode 13; "Deadlock" I wanted to be very specific because I spoiled someone before with a fic like this and I was kicking myself for days!**

They'd all been someone else before the war. But joining the Decepticons meant didn't matter who you were or what you did before because it was a clean start. It was a chance to change and be a part of greater change but Soundwave chose to keep his characteristic cold front and the silence he'd become renowned for.

It was effective, it functioned well before the war and it served him during; pleasing Megatron with his calculated cunning. Who needs words when you have respect. Megatron's respect. In return Soundwave paid him with gratitude exhibited in efficiency and success because Soundwave's nature had never earned him any accreditation before.

Branded a snitch and a drone, nobody aside from their Lord appreciated his worth. Others recognised it, some complimented it but ultimately most Decepticons and Autobots alike were uncomfortable with his acuteness for observation. But it was his choice to refrain and assess where others dived in blind, cooked in self confidence and premature assumptions and a rash need to impress. Soundwave had that need too, he controlled it but the feeling burned inside him.

When Megatron offered him praise he drank it in with grace, not like the other the gushing fools he worked along side.

He worked with simple solutions for simple minds: easily out witted Autobots for example who fell for the same trick again and again.

Serrated denta gnashed with reflexive mirth after watching them tumble through ground bridges but his mask gave away nothing.

Nobody would see how is optics shrunk or how those same denta that betrayed a hint of a wicked smile just a moment ago were now scraping over his lips as a chilling sense of disbelief tingled his exterior vertebrae.

His circuits stung a little, overheated by the mass flow of energy swapped between the two ground bridges. It brought a haze to his sensory net. Radial scans returned static. Not that he needed tests and analyses to know what had happened but that didn't stop him lunging at the little pests that had put him in this predicament. A fist intending to crush and maim phased straight through their scrawny bodies.

No.  
Negative.

Impossible!  
He was superior. There was no way he'd fallen for a variation of his own trick. That would be ridiculous,

But denial was useless.

At first he stood, marinating in wounding irony, perfectly still except for his fingers which made involuntary twitches - they weren't often without work to occupy them.

But even in the midst of all this trouble he found himself doing what he did best. Observing, taking advantage of his unique angle. But this time it wasn't out of choice, he was helpless, embarrassingly so. Fortunately, he had a lot to occupy himself with for now. When he tired of watching the human children making a mockery out of piloting the Nemesis, Soundwave vacated the bridge.

Knowledge obtained to from a HUD display directed him to Megatron's whereabouts.

He would be unable to provide assistance but that didn't deter him. Soundwave would find his leader. There was nothing more important to him. With Megatron he was sure he'd find his purpose as he had always done. Because war and battles always meant chaos but with his Lord Soundwave found order.

...he found his place and was expecting to find it again.

When he spotted his Lord his fingers closed into fists.

Didn't he know?

As he threatened Prime's life couldn't he see the little yellow scout wavering behind him - so innocent in appearance but entirely sinister in purpose.

No.

A unique perspective wasn't needed to see the danger. Why were the others so slow?! Couldn't they see like he could? Because they could have warned him while he couldn't.

Soundwave was there. Attempts at communication were pointless, nobody could hear. He was at his Lord's side, as always, wanting to touch but what was the point in trying?

The jagged blade speared through Megatron's taut abdomen splitting wires and fuel lines. Energon bubble out and all Soundwave could do was _watch._

When the light faded from his optics Soundwave _watched_. When his powerful hands slackened round the Star-Saber Soundwave _watched_.  
When his Lord fell and his body was set alight in Earth atmosphere, when the energon in his veins boiled, when alloys warped and metal was stripped from his whole, Soundwave wanted to follow, as always

He kneeled at the edge of the Nemesis. Thinking. No not thinking. This was limbo.

The light of Megatron's body had burned out. He was aware of everything as always but he didn't care. Couldn't care, not when Starscreams screeches got annoying, not when the Autobots celebrated. All Soundwave could saw was emptiness.

A loss of purpose. A duty he'd failed to an idol he'd let become his world. A necessity for his existence: gone.

His fingers twitched, hunting for occupation, an order to complete...something.

Nothing.


End file.
